Vietnamese president arrives today

President of Vietnam Tran Dai Quang awaits a rosining reception as he will arrive in Dhaka on a three-day state visit today.The Vietnamese president, who arrived in New Delhi on Friday evening on a three-day visit, is coming to Dhaka at the invitation of his Bangladesh counterpart Abdul Hamid when the two countries are looking for a broader trade and investment ties.President Abdul Hamid will receive Tran Dai Quang as he is scheduled to arrive at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 4:00pm by a special flight, an official told the news agency.Cabinet members, including foreign minister AH Mahmood Ali, are also expected to remain present on the occasion.A smartly turned out contingent comprising members of Bangladesh Army, Air Force and Bangladesh Navy will give guard of honour to the Vietnamese president. He will be welcomed with a 21-gun salute. Two children will present bouquets to president Tran Dai Quang.After the warm reception at the airport, the Vietnamese president will be taken to Sonargaon Hotel in a ceremonial motorcade where he will be staying during the visit.Bangladesh is looking for broader trade and investment ties with Vietnam and is preparing to make the best use of the upcoming visit of the Vietnam president.The two countries are likely to sign six to seven agreements and MoUs during the visit, officials said.‘A big focus will be on trade and investment. Our target is to reach a US$ 1 billion trade,’ Bangladesh ambassador to Vietnam Samina Naz told the news agency.She said a big business delegation will accompany the Vietnamese president during his Dhaka visit. A business forum will be held at Sonargaon Hotel in the city on March 6.Over 100 business representatives from Vietnam companies will interact with their Bangladesh counterparts and explore trade and investment potentials in Bangladesh.Responding to a question, ambassador Samina said that they were looking into cooperation in the areas of agriculture, pearl cultivation, fisheries and livestock, industrial cooperation, cultural exchange and pharmaceutical.The Vietnamese president will visit National Martyrs Memorial in Savar on Monday morning to pay respect to the martyrs of the War of Independence.Later, he will visit Bangabandhu Museum in the city to pay respect to the country’s founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.He will meet president Abdul Hamid and will hold official talks with prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday.Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, foreign minister AH Mahmood Ali and social welfare minister Rashed Khan Menon will also meet the Vietnam president.The president will leave Dhaka at 3:00pm on Tuesday. foreign minister Mahmood Ali will see him off at the airport.Prime minister Sheikh Hasina visited Vietnam in November 2012 while president Abdul Hamid visited Vietnam in 2015.During the upcoming visit of the Vietnam president, the two sides are expected to exchange ideas on regional and international issues of mutual concern, and agreed to enhance their cooperation at international forums, including the United Nations, Non-Aligned Movement, Asia-Europe Meeting in addition to boosting coordination in dealing with global issues such as climate change and food security, officials said.Earlier, Vietnamese ambassador to Bangladesh Tran Van Khoa said the exchange of trade delegations will usher in a new horizon of business interaction between the entrepreneurs of both the countries.The bilateral trade volume between Bangladesh and Vietnam crossed US$ 900 million in 2017 but the trade volume has not reached the targeted US$ 1 billion yet, according to Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry.But compared to the previous year, the trade volume increased by 50-60 per cent in 2017, despite the bilateral trade volume is still in favour of Vietnam.To mark the 45th year of diplomatic relation between Vietnam and Bangladesh, a trade fair will be organised in Bangladesh this year by the Vietnamese government, according to DCCI officials.Earlier, Bangladesh handed over an invitation letter from Bangladesh president during the first Foreign Office Consultations held in Dhaka in August 2017.